


Like Every Single Night

by Edoro



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Blood Drinking, F/F, Sloppy Makeouts, vampiric lesbians IN SPACE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-15
Updated: 2012-02-15
Packaged: 2017-10-31 05:37:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/340511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Edoro/pseuds/Edoro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the hubbub of the humans' arrival dies down, and they begin their long journey through the Outer Ring, Rose and Kanaya steal a few quiet moments to get acquainted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Every Single Night

_when we drink  
we do it right_  
-Like A G6, Far East Movement

Gradually, all the excitement of take-off died down and a sort of numb quiet settled in. Three more years hurtling through the blackness of the void on this charnel house, with only each other and the dead for company. Finally meeting the other players they’d been in such close contact with had brought a sort of natural happiness, survivor’s joy, but as the weight of _three years_ settled in, it started to fade.

Kanaya didn’t know what the humans had been through since last they’d spoken, although she imagined it hadn’t been pleasant. She did know what had transpired on their rock, however, and knew that it would take time before those wounds even began healing. Right then, they were still open and raw and socializing was the last thing on anyone’s mind. Karkat was leaning into Gamzee like his legs were a short second away from dumping him right onto his shame globes, trying to make it look more like a conciliatory hug than desperate clinging and not really succeeding, although it helped that Gamzee was visibly swaying. Terezi looked like she wanted nothing more than to throw herself to the ground and sleep for a good, long time, and only her excitement and ever-present strength of will were keeping her upright.

Kanaya counted herself luckier than all of her friends. Death had, strangely, rejuvenated her; she felt like she’d woken from the kind of long, refreshing sleep she’d never managed to get back on Alternia. Maybe it had even been a little too long, if the sense of emptiness creeping up on her was any indication. It wasn’t like being hungry, exactly, but it was _hunger_ , as recognizable as any base need was. Part of her wondered uneasily how she was going to manage that, but the rest of her chose to ignore it for the time being. She would find a solution, she was sure of it. For now, instead of worrying, she would follow the others’ examples and go find someone’s company to quietly enjoy.

“Hello, Rose.” Speaking to the human girl still felt awkward, for all the conversations they’d shared. The last one hadn’t ended on the very best note, and Kanaya was still unsure of exactly how she felt about that. Whatever Rose had done, she had lived through it - or, rather, not, but lived to tell the tale - and it had been inevitable, anyway. “How are you feeling?”

Rose gave her a small smile. It was strange to see her in person, to be so close to such an alien creature, all soft skin and fine hair and strangely pale eyes. “I’m honestly not sure. What sort of emotion is appropriate for narrowly surviving your certain death by ascending to godhood, then finding out you’re going to spend the next three years on a meteor with aliens, being flung at massively unbelievable speeds through a realm that shouldn’t exist by a half-dead boy’s mind? Is there a word for it in your language?”

Kanaya chuckled, some of the tension easing out of her. “I’m afraid not. I imagine the feeling would be quite optimistic, and we have a dearth of words to express that particular range of emotions.”

“Perhaps we shall have to invent one, then.”

Kanaya was beginning to think she could listen to Rose speak forever. They could understand each other, no doubt through some miracle of game construction, but the way the human spoke was still obviously different; all of her words softer and rounded and drawn out, all in the same flat range of frequencies, rumbling instead of the buzzing and clicking of Alternian. Her ears kept straining for undertones that simply weren’t there, and she could tell that Rose was having trouble understanding the way she spoke as well.

It would surely be a fascinating project to sit and catalogue the differences in their languages and speech organs at some point.

“We do have three years. Who knows what sorts of linguistic shenanigans can be accomplished during them? I am certain we’ll adopt language from each other, living in such close proximity.”

“Oh, I’m certain of it. I have to admit, I’ve been very curious about your language. I found it odd that a group of aliens in a different universe spoke English, and must confess to having almost been disappointed when I at first thought you didn’t have your own. I should have assumed it was another facet of the game, of course. After all, everyone can understand each other in video games, can’t they? It would simply be inconvenient otherwise. I would -” Rose interrupted herself with a wide yawn, looking almost surprised, as if it had snuck up on her, and hastily covered her mouth with a fanned open hand. “Oh, excuse me.”

Her hand looked so delicate, the skin so thin and pale that Kanaya could see bluish veins crossing the back of it, her nails perfectly rounded and clear save for a smudge of dark purple lacquer at the edge of her thumb. “Oh, no need. I am certain you are both quite tired after your day. We have rooms here, some even with the beds you humans like to sleep on, so you’ll likely be able to be more comfortable than we have been. Would you like me to show you to one?”

There was something almost shy in her smile this time, a faint pinkish cast to her cheeks as she nodded. “I would like that very much.”

They didn’t speak much as Kanaya led her down into the belly of the meteor. Rose glanced at the blood-smeared walls but didn’t say anything, although Kanaya was sure she would be treated to a volley of precise questions as soon as Rose had time to formulate them. It grew steadily darker and cooler as they went deeper and Rose shifted in closer to her, not quite holding onto her arm. 

“You do make a lovely escort,” was the first thing she said, after a particularly dark hallway was lit solely by the luminescence of Kanaya’s skin.

“Yes, my new state has many advantages. I am glad they can be of some use to you, as well.” She wondered if Rose could see the flush that rose in her cheeks at the way that dark-painted mouth shaped the word ‘lovely’, all crisply soft alien vowels. “As far as benign physical changes go, I have also noticed that I’m quite a lot warmer than previously.”

“I had noticed how warm you are.” With a look that could only be described as devious, Rose pressed herself in against Kanaya’s side, drawing her arm around her shoulders like a scarf. “I didn’t realize it had to do with the glowing. May I inquire as to what state it is you find yourself in, exactly?”

Up this close, Kanaya could smell her. She wasn’t sure if it was a rainbow drinker thing or just her normal sense of smell, or if perhaps the stark difference between Rose’s scent and a troll’s was making it seem even more obvious, but it was overwhelming. She didn’t smell bad, but definitely different, in ways Kanaya almost couldn’t describe - soft, that was the word for humans, soft and very mammalian, with hints of the dusty fur smell they had and something sharply floral that struck up a faint ache just above the bridge of her nose. Underneath the smells of human and perfume was blood, much more metallic than she was used to but still as recognizable as her hunger.

Kanaya just barely managed to shake herself from contemplating the blood pulsing just beneath Rose’s soft skin in time to respond without an awkwardly long pause. “I’m - I am a rainbow drinker. They are dire creatures of legend for my species, monsters that walk during the day and drink the blood of trolls. I believe the equivalent in human terms is a vampire.”

“Oh, is that it?” Rose’s tone was almost entirely neutral but for a slight tightness to her voice. “It’s so fascinating how opposite our cultures are. Humans value light and the day, and associate darkness and night with evil and fear, with very few exceptions. Off-hand, the only ones that come to mind are cultures where white is considered a mourning color and thus unlucky... I suppose it’s because you’re nocturnal that you favor night time.”

“Yes, exactly. There is also the fact that our sun burns us. Well, most of us. I have always been quite partial to daytime and found the sun’s heat and light to be soothing more than harmful.” Kanaya sighed softly. It was strange to do now that she no longer breathed, an unconscious gesture suddenly turned into a conscious motion. “I am most certainly in the minority there. I suppose that my awakening as a rainbow drinker is not entirely unwarranted, then. It’s certainly not unwelcome.”

“I have to agree that it seems very...exciting.” Rose fell silent again and stayed that way for a few moments, tucked quietly against Kanaya’s side. “So your diet now consists of blood, correct?”

“Yes, that is correct. Previously I have... _fed_ , for lack of a better word, off of the dead and Sollux, and I am not sure what I will do now. Negotiate with my living friends, I suppose. I can drink without killing, so it shouldn’t be too terribly difficult...” She was rambling, she knew, but it was the only way to distract herself from this delectable young girl under her arm and how very alone they were in the dark, with no one around to see or hear.

“Kanaya.” Terribly amused, Rose reached out and put a finger against her lips. “You’re babbling.”

Kanaya swallowed hard and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly through her nose, and then decided to disregard self-restraint entirely and dipped her head to kiss Rose’s palm, tongue flicking out against it. Her skin tasted mostly salty, with just the faintest hint of the blood pumping underneath it.

“I have to distract myself,” she murmured, closing her eyes and breathing in Rose’s scent. 

“From?”

“You. I imagine this may be a strange thing to hear, but you smell...absolutely delicious.”

“Kanaya...” They stood there like that for a moment, in darkness and silence, Kanaya’s lips pressed to Rose’s soft palm, the human girl barely breathing, and then Rose’s hand slid to cup Kanaya’s chin and there were lips pressed against hers, soft and thin and painted. 

It was an exquisitely perfect moment and Kanaya wished she could crystallize and captchalogue it, to take out on dull days when she needed cheer. Rose’s hand was soft and warm against her face, her fingers fitting the curve of her jaw like they were made for it, and they opened their mouths to each other like they were about to whisper some deep and ancient knowledge. Their tongues met like a prophecy, like hundreds of thousands of sweeps had all led right up to this moment, had led to Kanaya Maryam hatching just in time to play a game with her friends and doom her world, then meet this bizarre and beautiful alien creature and finally kiss her in a dark hallway, the backs of her eyelids illuminated by the glow of her own skin.

They broke apart an eon later, Rose breathing harder and both their faces flushing warm. Kanaya leaned back in to kiss her again, this time more practiced, their lips sliding together better. She couldn’t bear the loss of contact; she wanted to kiss Rose forever, wanted to taste her and lick every one of her flat teeth until all she knew was Rose’s mouth and Rose’s warm fingers digging into her shoulders and Rose’s tongue sliding into her like the most graceful dancer and, _oh_ , the sudden prick of her teeth in unprepared skin and the explosion of even a drop of blood and how hard it was then to draw away, licking her lips to lap up every last trace of it. It was salty and metallic and tangy and strange, like tasting a new food for the first time, but every part of her body screamed out for more.

Rose’s pupils were drowning out her eyes, the purple the barest sliver around them. Her cheeks were blushing a deep pink and her mouth wet, lips flushed, lipstick smudged, and every hair still in perfect place. “You can feed off of me without killing me, can’t you?”

It took every single ounce of willpower Kanaya had, dredged up from depths inside of her she didn’t even know she had, to not immediately lunge for Rose’s soft neck. “I can’t say for sure. I could with Sollux, but I have no idea how much blood humans usually have or can lose, and I could never forgive myself if I hurt you.”

Rose leaned back against the grey wall and tipped her head, gazing half-lidded down the length of her nose at Kanaya. “I trust you.”

And she was lost. With a small, desperate sound of hunger, Kanaya swooped in, bending to fasten her mouth to that pale throat. At first she moved her mouth softly over it, dropping a series of wet kisses all along it until she found the right place, where Rose’s pulse thundered underneath her tongue. She licked it and then sucked, teeth tucked into her lips and whole body trembling with the effort to not bite immediately. It was gratifying to feel the groan rumble through Rose’s throat, feel her body shake too.

Finally, Kanaya bit down, shuddering at the first hot gush of blood into her mouth. She alternated licking at the wounds and sucking them, teasing her tongue over them to keep them open and the hot liquid flowing. Her throat worked as she swallowed it down, loud in the silence of the hallway with no other sound to compete with but Rose’s harsh breathing and occasional soft, throaty moan. The coppery taste of it coated her mouth and teeth and her throat, slick and metal and hotter than even Sollux’s had been, almost enough to sear her from the inside out.

It was completely undignified. It was an ungainly, messy feast, Rose’s blood getting smeared all over both of them and Kanaya making the most uncontrolled noises, suckling at the delicate column of Rose’s throat as an infant mammal would its mother. Afterwards, Kanaya knew she would be embarrassed, would have no choice but to drag Rose to the nearest ablution chamber to clean the both of them off, perhaps try to quickly scrub some stains out of the neck of Rose’s shirt, but right at that moment all she could focus on was the delicious feeling of finally sating her hunger.

It didn’t take very much at all to fill her up, not after Feferi and Sollux earlier. Kanaya pulled away reluctantly, dropping a butterly delicate kiss to the bites as she did. She could barely see them through the smear of blood, a situation which needed to be remedied immediately. Kanaya set to doing that with long, slow swipes of her tongue, lapping up the last vestiges of her meal and making Rose shiver pleasantly beneath her. When she was done she could see them, small and deep, the pale skin around them already beginning to bruise a dark royal purple.

She met Rose’s eyes and time slowed around them again, into one long drawn out second that was almost awkward. Her mouth was still smeary with blood, Rose’s neck dotted with crusts of it and little bits of green where Kanaya’s lipstick had rubbed off, and they were both deeply flushed. Slowly, solemnly, Rose reached out to wipe the tip of Kanaya’s nose with her thumb, examining the bloody digit afterwards before popping it into her mouth to clean off.

Kanaya couldn’t help the giggle that rose in her throat. It drew one out of Rose as well and they both collapsed in against each other and the wall, clutching at each other’s shoulders, heads bowed together, laughing into the darkness of the hallway. Most undignified, but Kanaya couldn’t bring herself to care.

When they finally could stand again, Rose took a step away from the wall and then stumbled back against it, looking almost surprised. “Oh. Oh I...I suppose I’m much fainter than I thought.”

Kanaya frowned slightly. “Did I take too much? Oh, that was foolish of me, you are such fragile creatures and I don’t have the faintest idea how much blood you even need...”

Rose gave her a faint smile and shook her head. “No, you did fine. I am just not used to losing so much blood at once, and we are, as you said, delicate. I just need to sit or perhaps lay down.”

“Yes, of course.”

They both did need to be cleaned off, but ablutions could wait. Kanaya wrapped an arm around Rose’s waist, leaning the human girl’s inconsequential weight against her, and walked her slowly towards the rooms. In a stroke of luck, Kanaya’s was nearby, and while normally she would have felt it quite inappropriate to take someone back to her room first thing, she felt allowances could be made in this situation. And besides, Rose was just going to rest.

Despite her internal reassurances, Kanaya’s bloodpusher was thumping oddly and her chest felt tight, her stomach fluttering with excited nerves. It would be a long time before anyone came to bother her and surely no one would suspect she had taken Rose to her respite block... This was a secret, this whole thing, known only to them and the blank steel corridors. The thought sent a delicious thrill through her. 

Their quarters on this rock were large and strange, full of dark crannies and twists, and she’d had precious little to work with as far as decorating went, but Kanaya had still tried to give her respite block a more homey touch. The splashes of color served only to enhance how bleak and cold her surroundings were, but it was better than bare metal. Her pile was fabric and pillows, marginally more comfortable than some of the other ones; she led Rose over to it and helped her down, hovering over her, unsure, until Rose tugged her down with a small smile.

She curled herself around the human, one arm around her waist and the other tucked awkwardly up underneath herself, her nose pressed into Rose’s feathery hair, and let herself relax. Whatever happened from this moment on out would happen, and she would deal with it, but just for right then she was at peace, calm and quiet and with the scent of her - of - of _Rose_ , this precious fragile human creature, filling her nose and the lingering taste of her blood in her mouth. 

Rose stayed silent for a long time too, simply breathing, until Kanaya began to wonder if she’d fallen asleep. The exhaustion of the past few hours hit her suddenly and she began to doze herself, lulled by the calm and the warmth of the girl in her arms, and was almost startled when Rose spoke.

“How long do you think we can get away with hiding out from our companions?”

“Hmm.” Karkat surely wouldn’t want them separated for very long, although Kanaya imagined he’d be pulled off for alone time by Gamzee shortly, and if the clown had even half a lick of sense - before today she would have doubted it, but he’d shown himself to be far cleverer and more devious than any of them had imagined, so perhaps he did have it within him to manage Karkat - he’d get his moirail to finally sleep. That would buy them a few hours, and she doubted any of the others would be too eager to come track her down. Terezi could keep Strider busy, she was sure. “A while. Several hours, at least.”

“Then I believe I wish to nap. And then...” There was just the tiniest bit of hesitation, the smallest pause. “I believe we should do some more...cultural exchange.”

_Oh_. A little shiver worked its way up Kanaya’s spine at that. “Yes, of course. I believe this to be an excellent plan.” 

She was sure she wouldn’t be able to sleep, too full of nervous anticipation, but it wasn’t long at all before she found her eyes growing heavy and her thoughts growing dull, dim, her mind slowly retreating from the waking world. The last thought she had was that this was going to be a very _educational_ three years.


End file.
